EVATON.- Tokyo Sports Development Academy has issued a statement following an incident where one of their players assaulted a referee after a game recently.
Ngobile Phale attacked the match officials after their game against United Kingdom Academy at Qedilizwe ground. This was after he was sent off earlier for misconduct. Phale attacked the referee in full view of everyone including the supporters.
In the statement, the club coach, Takalani “Tokyo” Morodi said unfortunately the incident happened in his absence.
“It was the first time that I was absent from a league game due to work commitments and after hearing what transpired I was so disappointed because those aren’t the standards of the league. It’s our 4th season now in the league and we’ve never brought the league to shame, it’s just unfortunate that the incident took place and Nqobile, known as Marcelo born in 2006, still has a lot to learn.”
Morodi said that Phale, several teammates, and a few people from the crowd insisted that the linesman started provoking him by telling him that after the game he would show him who he was, and that’s why the player approached the referee when the game ended.
“So when Nqobile raised his hands the linesman thought Nqobile was assaulting him, he then struck Nqobile with a corner flag which many could attest to, and then Nqobile reacted. I feel the linesman was wrong to provoke the player, I mean he is an adult and should know better and the very same linesman is the one who was allegedly seen smoking weed before the game”, she said.
The statement further read as follows: “Zito Mabena was red carded for asking why he was given a yellow card, this is very shocking because this happened to me as well last season, we are being intimidated by the guys we trust to keep the game flowing but the biasedness doesn’t add. As teams, we don’t have protection from incompetency and as a result, the spirit of the game is being destroyed hence there’s no more joy in partaking in this league because they drain the joy out of us.”
“We at TSDA don’t condone such behavior and as such we have suspended the player and will try to get him help to become a better person. I apologise on behalf of the player and the club, and such will never happen again.”
Meanwhile, the league will also take disciplinary action against the club and the player.
